Conventional amplifiers may incorporate integral load elements. The load elements are typically combined as a single node, into which a bias signal is injected. For example, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional amplifier 100, which includes resistors 110 and 120 as load elements. The bias port 130 is connected to bias node N101, to which resistors 110 and 120 are also connected.
The amplifier 100 also includes transistors 112 and 122, which may be field effect transistors (FETs), such as gallium arsenide field-effect transistors (GaAsFETs), for example. Transistor 112 includes a drain connected the resistor 110 and output port 136, a source connected to current source 140 and a gate connected to input port 132. Transistor 122 includes a drain connected the resistor 120 and output port 138, a source connected to the current source 140 and a gate connected to input port 134.
The amplifier 100, as depicted in FIG. 1, is a differential amplifier, in that it receives differential input signals through the input ports 132 and 134, respectively. The differential amplifier amplifies the difference between voltages of the two input signals and provides corresponding amplified output signals (e.g., through the output ports 136 and 138). Alternatively, the gate of transistor 122 may be connected to ground, such that the amplifier 100 receives only one input signal through the input port 132, and outputs corresponding balanced output signals through output ports 136 and 138, thus effectively operating as an active balun.
The amplifier 100 may be implemented in the form of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) chip or die, and each of the ports (bias port 130, input ports 132, 134 and output ports 136, 138) therefore has an associated input/output (I/O) package pin for receiving and sending signals outside the amplifier 100. For example, the bias port 130 has an associated I/O package pin to interface with an externally provided bias signal, through which the bias node N101 receives a bias supply voltage. Likewise, the input ports 132, 134 and the output ports 136, 138 have corresponding separate I/O package pins.
Due to higher component integration and diminished chip space in integrated circuits driven by demand for smaller electronic devices, there is a need to reduce or limit the number of isolated connections, e.g., requiring separate I/O package pins, utilized by a particular component, such as the amplifier 100. Having separate input and bias ports contributes to this shortage of I/O package pins.